The Church’s One Foundation

Christ Pantocrator

Image in the Public Domain

Hymn Source = The Hymnal 1982, of The Episcopal Church

Words by Samuel John Stone (1839-1900), a priest of The Church of England

This is Stone’s 1868 shorter version of his hymn.  The full version is here.

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1.  The Church’s one foundation

is Jesus Christ her Lord;

she is his new creation

by water and the word:

from heaven he came and sought her

to be his holy bride;

with his own blood he bought her,

and for her life he died.

2.  Elect from every nation,

yet one o’er all the earth,

her charter of salvation,

one Lord, one faith, one birth;

one holy Name she blesses,

partakes one holy food,

and to one hope she presses,

with every grace endued.

3.  Though with a scornful wonder

men see her sore oppressed,

by schisms rent asunder,

by heresies distressed;

yet saints their watch are keeping,

their cry goes up, “How long?”

and soon the night of weeping

shall be the morn of song.

4.  Mid toil and tribulation,

and tumult of her war

she waits the consumation

of peace for evermore;

till with the vision glorious

her longing eyes are blessed,

and the great Church victorious

shall be the Church at rest.

5.  Yet she on earth hath union

with God, the Three in One,

and mystic sweet communion

with those whose rest is won.

O happy ones and holy!

Lord, give us grace that we

like them, the meek and lowly,

on high may dwell with thee.